Torpedo-guard for ships.



L. MILLER.- TORPEDO GUARD FOR SHIPS. APPLICATION men JULY :2. 1911.

Patented Nov, 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- L. MILLER. TORPEDO GUARD FOR SHIPS. APPLICATION FILEDJ U LY I2. 1917.

1.,24WA39; Paented Nov. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHE ET 2.

LOUIS MILLER, 01? BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

'ronrnno-enani) ron sures.

eashes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2d, 191%.

Application filed July 12, 1917. Serial No. 180,178.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Louis MI LER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of NewYork, have invented. certainnew anduseful Improvements in TorpedorGuardsfor Ships, of ,which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therem to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a torpedo guard or protector forships, and thelike, and has for its principal object the production of a simple andefficient guard, which may be conveniently held over the side of. aship,

in. such a position as to permit the same to be immediately dropped incase of danger,

,toprevent the contact of a torpedo with the side ,of a. ship.

Another object of this invention is the prOdtlctiOn of. a simple andefficient guard, which .will constitute a yieldable buffer against whichthe torpedomay be a-butted, when adjusted against aship.

With, these and other 'obJects in new this invention. consists ofcertain novel combinations, cOnstructionsaand arrangements of parts, aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figurel is aside elevation of the ship,showing the guard applied thereto, the guard being showndiagrammatically for the purpose of vsimplifying thefillustration.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a portion of the side of the ship,showing one of the sections of the guard in an extended position. y

Fig. 3 is a section taken onth-e lineB-S of Fig. 2.

Fig.4 is a front elevation of one of; the sections of the guard.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through a series of the guardsections.

Fig.,-6 is. a, longitudinal section through a portion of-the hull of thevessel, showing the manner of attaching the guardsection to the vessel.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective of one-of the joint connections,constitutina the frame for the guard section.

Fig. 8 is a; front elevationof a portion of the yieldable guard netshowing the ,manner in Which the net is Woven.

Fig. 9 is a top, plan View, showing in dia gram the arrangementof theguard sections extendingaround the end of a ship, such for instance asthe bow onthe stern of a vessel. Fig. .10. is a longitudinal sectionthrough a portion of the hull ofthe ressel, showing a modified form ofattaching the connecting hooks on thetorpedo sections to a hull of .awooden vessel, wherein reinforcing metallic plates are used.

Fig. llis a plan view of a portion of the reinforcing frame for the net.

QFigplQ is a top plan view of two of the protector sections shownmounted upon the side of a ship.

By referring to the accompanying draw ings by numerals, it will be seenthat l desgnates the vessel, which maybe of course of any suitable ordesired construction, and the vessel l is adapted to support a pluralityof protector or guard sections which guard sections are adapted to bearranged in ,close relation to each other, and produce aeontinuousprotector net, around the entire hull of the vessel. These protectorsections comprise afranie 2, which frame is provided. with a reinforcedrear frame 3, and have the longitudinally,extending rods 4 of theprotector frame, engagingthe rear frame 3.

:The forward ends of the rods at are threaded into unions 5,which unionsin. turn receive the vertically extending brace pipe sections 6, forfirmly holding the longitudinally extending. rods in proper spacedrelation. Suitable transverse brace rods or pipe sec tions areinterposed between the lower unions of the protector sections, orframe2, as isillustrated clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. These unions 5support upon their outer. ends a plurality of outwardly extending bracerods 8, which brace rods 8 support a metallic frame 9 at. their outerends, which metallic frame 9 .is provided with suitable eyes 10 twistedtherein, for fitting over the outer ends of the rods 8: Suitable ends 11are threaded upon the rods 8 for firmly holding the frame 9 upon therods 8. This frame 9 is preferably formed rectangular, and a suitablenet 12 is woven upon the outer frame 9', as is illustrated in Fig. 4t,and in detail in Fig.8. The net 12 is preferably formed of reinforcedcable, which is wrapped by a fabric wrapping,'and which. is thoroughlywaxed to reduce friction to a minimum extent, and also to prevent thedeterioration of the net, due to the chemical action of the water,thereon. The

' torpedo.

net 12 is formed of a plurality of looped portions 13, which fit aroundthe outer frame a, which looped portions are looped inwardly to produceinwardly extending loops 1e, and the net is then wound upon a strand forproducing substantially diamond shaped pockets, as shown in Fig. 1, uponthe face of the net. The strand is looped around the inner end of theloop 14-, and is then passed over the outer end of the loop 1 1, and isthen wound around the strand 15, whereupon the outer end 16 of thestrand passes over the loop 17 which is formed by winding the cable orstrand around the inwardly extending loops 14:. By means of the wire netwhich is carried upon the outer end ofthe frame 2, 1t. should beunderstood that a very yleldable construction is produced, by which atorpedo engaging'thc net, will merely impinge against the surfaces ofthe net, and should the same enter in between the strands of the net,the flexible nature of the net will gradually force the torpedo fromengagement with thenet,'due to the tightening action of the not aroundthe upper ends of the torpedo; The knotted connections at the unction'of the substantially diamond shaped pockets formed by the net strands,will produce a'very efficient connecting means and allow a slightyieldable action of the pockets, but at the same time will assume atightening action around an object which may try, to penetrate betweenthe strands. The formationof the outer end of the nose of a torpedo willnaturally cause a torpedo to work itself'from engagement with the netdue to the construction of the net. An auxiliary or second net 6 issupported upon the top sections or rods 6 "and 7, to

constitute a second line of protector net structures, and therebyprevent the passing of a torpedo through the protector members, shouldthe first net be found defective, or should the first net be penetratedby the This second net 6 is formed similar to the first net 12, whichhas been describedabov'e in detail.

Each of these nets 6 and 12 are reinforced by'means of a reinforcing net12 whereby the reinforcing net is formed of a plurality of strandscarried by the frame 9, and the looped portions 17 of the net12 arewound around the junctions 13 of the reinforcing net12, such as isillustrated in'Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The net 12 as stated above is firmly secured to the outer frame 9, andthe net is provided upon each side thereof with flaps or lips 18. Theseflaps are adapted to overhang the spacebetween the next adjoiningsections of'the protector mechanism, and these sections will be termedthe auxiliary sections 19, as shown in Fig. 5. The auxiliary section isformed similar to the first Section described, with respect tothe frame2, with the exception thatthe' auxiliary section 19 is not provided withthe extending flap 18. This structure is clearly shown 111 Fig. 5. I

Thelip or flap 18 which is formed upon each side of the net 12 isreinforced around its edge by means of a reinforcing frame 18, whichreinforcing frame 18 1s adapted to hold the flap or lip 18 in a properposition, 7

so as to extend laterally of the main net 12. his reinforced frame 18 isadapted to pre Each of the protector sect-ions issimilarly' connected tothe hull 1 of the ship and each section carries a plurality of eye bolts20 upon the rear frame 3 thereof, which eye bolts 20 engage thehooks-21, which are-supported in any suitable manner upon the -hull ',1of the vessel. Where a metal vessel is used,

the hooks 21 may be secured thereto by passing the hooks through-the-hull 1. of the vessel and riveting-the same, as shown in Fig. 6.here a wooden vessel is used, such as indicated by the numeral lithehooks 21 may be passed through tl1e reinforcingplates 22, as shownclearly in Fig. 10 of the drawings.- These protector sections areadapted to have the eye portions 20 inserted overthe hooks 2-1 by movingthe sections laterally as will be obvious by considering Fig. 6, a'ndinorder to holdptliesesectionsin permanent positions for operation,bracing cables 23 are employed which are secured to oneof the rods 8 infront of one 'of the unionsh, as shown in Fig. 2, and these cables 23are in turn secured to the connecting--meansj24. The innerend of eachsection is also braced near one corner thereof, by means ofbracingchains 25, which of course maybe of any desired construction, and whichwill constitute an efficient brace for resisting any rearward movementof the sections supported upon the sideof thevessel or-the hi llthereof.Suitable buffer blocks 26- are secured to the lower end of the frame 3and are adapted to abut against the hull'l of the'vessel and resist anyinward pressure upon the sections of the protector. [T118891 bufferblocks 26 will constitute a very simple and efficient resilient supportfor the lower end of the sections or frame 2. a P 3 r The bufi'er blocks26 are adapted to be held normally out of contact with the hull 1, andareonly brought into engagement when pressure is brought to bear uponthe outer ends of the protector sections of the torpedo guard. I

A upon the deckof the hull 1, and these drums maybe operated in anysuitable position for winding the lifting cable 28 thereover, and

plurality of drums 27 arej mounted lifting the protector sections toavertical mally kept avertical position, while the zone, these protectorsections are lifted down to an operative position. Thelifting cable 28lS-SQOHIECl to eachsection 111 front a of one of the unions, passingover theguidingpulleycarried by the standard- 30, upon the deck-oftheship. A suitable pawl is mounted upon a shaft 33 which may extend"throughoutthe entirerlength of thehull of the vessel, and may operateinunison with sultable pawls engaging all of the drums 27.

This is so constructed as to permit all of the pawls 31 to beimmediately operated in unison for the purpose of permitting the drums27 to unwind and thereby allow the protector section or guard to drop toan operative position.

It of course should be understood that the protector sections are formedof knockdown structure in order to permit the structure to be readilyassembled and partsthereof to be readily replaced, and in view of thisstructure it should be understood that when the device is not desiredfor immediate use several parts of the guard may be readily disassembledand the same stowed away in a minimum amount of space. For instance, theouter end may be readily removed from the frame, and the several partsof the frame may be readily separated.

By carefully considering Fig. 2, it will be seen that the shaft 33carries an operating handle 34, which operating handle is adapted topermit all of the pawls 31 to be simultaneously released from theratchet 32, and permit the drums or windlass37 to unwind, and thesections of the protector or guard to automatically drop to an operativeposition. It should be understood that all of the outer parts of theguard sections, such as the ends 11, etc, are rounded in order toprevent any sharp corners or obstructive parts to interfere with theeffective operativeness of the device.

A plurality of abutment knobs 30 are arranged along the side of the hullof the vessel 1, an are adapted to hold the protector sections away fromthe side of the hull, when the same are arranged to a vertical position.The abutment knobs 30 will act as buffers against which the upper siderods 2 of the protector sections will abut, when the device is swung toits vertical position.

It should be understood that the protector sections 2 taper toward theirrear or inner ends 35 or in other words have their rear ends slightlyreduced in order to permit one section to be removed from the shipwithout interfering with the other sections, should one of the sectionsneed repairing. When the sections are removed, from the ship, it isnecessary that the section be raised to a vertical position. It shouldfurther be understood that all of these sections may be raisedindependently of theother sections, should 'it be so desired, as itisnot necessary that all of the sections be raised simultaneously, ortogether. The structure of the sections showing the same tapered attheir inner ends 18 clearly illustrated 1n Fig. 12 of the drawings.

It shouldbe understood that certain detail changes may be made in thedetail mechanical construction and the proportion of the device, withoutdeparting from'the spirit of the invention.

As shownin Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, a turn buckle may be carriedthereby forthe purpose of permitting the chain 25 to be adjusted ortightened.

What is claimed is 1. A torpedo guard of the class described, comprisinga plurality of similarly constructed sections, each section comprisingan inner frame, a plurality of outwardly eX- tending rods, verticallyextending bracing means interposed between said rods, an outer net framecarried by the outer ends of said rods, a yieldable cable net woven uponsaid net frame, and adapted to constitute a yieldable buffer forpreventing the contact of a torpedo with the side of a ship carryingsaid guard, means for raising and lowering said sections and means forbracing said sections against lateral swing.

2. A torpedo guard of the class described, comprising a plurality ofsimilarly constructed sections, each section comprising an inner frame,a plurality of outwardly extending rods, vertically extending bracingmeans interposed between said rods, a yieldable cable net woven uponsaid end frame, and adapted to constitute a yieldable buffer forpreventing the contact of a torpedo with the side of a ship carryingsaid guard,means for raising and lowering said sections, means forbracing said sections against {lateral swing, hooks adapted to becarried by the sides of a vessel, and eye bolts carried by said drums ofsaid sections and fitting over said hooks for constituting a hookingconnection for said sections.

3. A torpedo guard of the class described, comprising a plurality ofsimilarly constructed sections, each section comprising an inner frame,a plurality of outwardly extending rods, vertically extending bracingmeans interposed between said rods, an outer net frame carried by theouter ends of said rods, a yieldable cable net woven upon said netframe, and adapted to constitute a yieldable buffer for preventing thecontact of a torpedo with the side of a ship carrying said guard, meansfor raising and lowering said sections, means for bracing said sec tionsagainst lateral swing, hooks adapted to be carried by the sides of avessel, and eye bolts carried by said drums of said sectionsandfittingover said hooks for constitutmg a hooking connection for sand sections,a yieldable buffercarried by the lower end of each section.

4. A torpedo guard of the class descrlbed,

comprising a plurality of sections, each seoo.

I tending across the outer end of said frame [and being provided Withlaterally extending flaps adapted to overhang a portion of the nextadjoining section, for producing a Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor continuous yieldable net aroundthe entire hull-of a vessel, and saidnet being Woven to constitute a plurality of substantially diamondshaped pockets having knotted joints at their corners. a

5. A torpedo guard comprising a plurality of sections, each sectioncomprising .anginner frame, and an outer protector ,frame, and eachalternate-outer protector frame, provided with laterally extendingportions overhanging the adjoining frames. In testimony whereof Ihereunto .affix my signature. 7 V LOUIS- MILLER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washingto p0 j j v

